Slaying suspect 'not a friendly guy'

Former brother-in-law wasn't shocked with news of arrest.

Former brother-in-law wasn't shocked with news of arrest.

February 07, 2007|TOM MOOR Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- When Bill Whitmer first heard his former brother-in-law was one of two men arrested in connection with the deaths of four people and dumping their bodies in manholes, it didn't exactly come as a shock. "I thought he would end up murdered," Whitmer said of Randy Lee Reeder. "In my opinion, that's the path he was heading down." "He was not a friendly guy." Reeder, the 50-year-old South Bend man charged with four counts of murder in connection with the homicides, was transported Tuesday from the Berrien County Jail to the St. Joseph County Jail. He will be arraigned at 1 p.m. today in St. Joseph Superior Court. He remains in custody without bond pending trial. Daniel J. Sharp, 56, has also been charged with four counts of murder. He appeared in court Monday, and the magistrate appointed a public defender to handle his case. The suspects are accused of killing Michael "Shan" Nolen, Jr., 40; Michael Lawson, 56; Brian G. Talboom, 51; and Jason Coates, 29, because the men stole scrapping metal from them, according to a court affidavit. Whitmer, a North Liberty resident, said Reeder was married to his sister from 1975 to 1997. Whitmer saw him often up until the mid-1980s, but had not seen much of him over the past 20 years. He was not aware Reeder was homeless or living in South Bend. Reeder and his ex-wife used to live on Roosevelt Road just south of South Bend, Whitmer said. Whitmer described his former brother-in-law as "extremely belligerent." "I don't have anything good to say about him," he said. "I tried to avoid him." Whitmer said Reeder's marriage to his sister was rocky. "There was always problems." said Whitmer, who said Reeder worked at his dad's farm years ago. "He wasn't really welcome around the rest of the family." Trouble with the law seemed to follow Reeder around, Whitmer said. Reeder has an extensive misdemeanor record, having being charged and convicted of more than a dozen crimes, including driving under the influence, public intoxication and battery, St. Joseph County court records show. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 1996 for driving-related convictions. "He was mixed up with the wrong people," Whitmer said. "He just had all kinds or problems with the law. It seems like police were always after him for something."Staff writer Tom Moor: tmoor@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6187